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and affords a favourite amusement to the sportsman. They migrate, like other birds, but are so secret in their movements, that they appear and disappear without even being seen in passing from one country to another. They live on the seeds of reeds.

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Of this bird there are several kinds; they are common in the autumn, in the open ground, and along the coasts. The Golden Plover, Black-bellied Plover, and Wilson's Plover, are the most frequently met with in the middle and eastern states of America; and the Long-legged Plover in most parts of Europe.

THE KILDEER, OR KILDEER PLOVER.

THIS is a noisy and well known inhabitant of the American shores and bare open plains. Nothing can exceed the anxiety of this bird while breeding. Its cry of kildeer, kildeer, as it winnows the air over your head, courses around you, runs swiftly along before, or counterfeits lameness, is loud and incessant. It is a handsome bird, ten inches in length, and twenty in extent.

THE BITTERN.

THE Bittern, of which there are several kinds, resembles the heron species. The American Bittern is twenty-seven inches in length. When disturbed, he rises with a heavy and awkward flight, uttering the cry, kwa, kwa. It is a night bird, and its sight is most acute during the evening twilight. It is much smaller than the European Bittern, and its note is totally unlike the loud booming cry of the latter.

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THESE birds are found in Europe, and build their nests upon low trees and shrubs; they both swim and wade, and the young ones imitate their parents in both these practices the moment they are out of the shell.

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THE general colour of this bird is deep blue, tinged with green, some parts being black. Their food consists of plants, seeds, insects, and small fish. They have an aversion to take wing, but they swim and dive remarkably well. When on the land, the Coot walks awkwardly, but it skulks along through the grass and reeds with great speed. When closely pursued in the water, it rises with apparent reluctance, fluttering along the surface like a wounded duck.

I have now noticed some of the most remarkable of the American birds, as well as those of other countries. There are multitudes of others not named; and I have been able to tell you but little of the many curious facts that could be related of those which I have thus partially described. The subject is exceedingly interesting, and I recommend to you the beautiful and splendid work on American Ornithology, by Wilson, from which I have derived much of the information here given.

As we proceed in our investigation of the works of Nature, we shall meet with constant proofs of the all-pervading knowledge and all-pervading care of Providence. We shall see that every thing is adapted to the ends of its existence; that what we had often deemed worthless, or even pernicious, has yet its useful place in the varied plan of the Great and Good and Wise Being who made them all. And we shall learn the valuable lesson, when we cannot see the utility of any of the works of God, to refer it to our own ignorance, and not to his oversight.

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WHEN full grown, the length of the Whale may be stated as varying from fifty to sixty-five, and rarely, if ever, reaching seventy feet, and its greatest circumference from thirty to forty feet. It is thickest a little behind the fins. When the mouth is open, it presents a cavity as large as a room, and capable of containing a merchant ship's jollyboat full of men. Its tongue is as large as a stout featherbed. The tail is a formidable instrument of motion and defence it is only five or six feet long, but its motions are rapid, and its strength immense. The eyes are situated in the sides of the head; they are very small, being little larger than those of an ox. The Whale has no external ear, but there is a small orifice under the skin for the admission of sound.

On the most elevated part of the head are two blow holes six or eight inches in length. The mouth, instead of teeth, has two rows of whalebone, each of which contains more than three hundred laminæ, the longest of which are about ten or eleven feet. A large Whale sometimes contains a ton and a half of whalebone. The colour of the

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